Nomad Life - Day 31

I slept well overnight was wide awake at about 0500 this morning.  Taking advantage of some free time (no rushing around required), I read more than my usual amount, completed my puzzles and Duolingo and then tried to catch up on my travel blogging.  I also ate some leftovers (pancakes) for my breakfast.  Before I realized how much time I'd spent on these things, it was already 0730.  Realizing recently that I'd never attended Mass in Harrisonburg since the first year my daughters lived in the area, I'd told Brenna I planned to visit Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church for their 0800 service - I had to rush through getting ready but managed to depart with enough time to arrive just as they were starting.  Having been away from the Diocese of Richmond for quite a while, I'd forgotten about some of the order of the Mass - soon, though, it seemed familiar again.  The Parish really emphasized the singing!  Once the service was over, I made my way back towards Brenna's apartment, stopping only to fill up my gas tank at Sheetz (0905).  By 0920, I was able to resume working on my blog (Brenna wasn't yet awake).  She finally appeared in the living room at about 1000 (much later than I'd expected) and quickly got ready.  After departing Brenna's apartment (1020), we made our way to her nearby church, Horizon Christian Fellowship Harrisonburg and met Jesse after we arrived.  Beginning at 1030, we attended the worship service in the upper floor of an old barn.  I was impressed by the music and the sermon (by Pastor Ronnie) and was glad to see that Brenna had found such a great church home.  Afterwards (1215), we joined a pancake breakfast (that had started before we arrived) - there was an amazing amount of food!  While Brenna and Jesse were mingling with friends, I met some other members of the church community and enjoyed my “brunch”.  At about 1300, Brenna suggested a walk around nearby Lake Shenandoah and we (along with Jesse) enjoyed the beautiful weather and scenery as we followed the walking path  By 1400, we had returned to the car and said goodbye (reluctantly, from Brenna’s perspective) to Jesse.  At Brenna’s apartment, she made me some of her Harney Tea but then told me she wanted to take a nap.  After she was in her room, I kept busy with repacking my car and reading.  My daughter had said she’d only be resting for an hour or so but I didn’t see her again until after 1600.  By then, she was starting to make plans for her church’s Young Adult Group meeting in the evening.  Hoping to spend more time with Brenna before that event, I suggested we go get some food.  Brenna wanted to eat at one of her favorite restaurants but learned it was closed on Sundays.  Instead, we went to the Capital Ale House in downtown Harrisonburg.  After sitting down in their upstairs bar, I tried one of the beers on their extensive list.  Later, we got dinner: turkey club with broccoli (for me) and some chili (for Brenna).  Our conversation, like it had been all weekend, was great and I really enjoyed hearing news about my daughter's life.  At about 1750, I noticed that Brenna was beginning to worry about the time (her YAG was scheduled for just over 30 minutes later) and suggested we return to her apartment.  Once she dropped me off there, I did some more reading and made plans with my friends for the coming week.  I’d hoped to watch the Notre Dame versus Miami football game but Brenna’s steaming services didn’t include it.  Instead, I watched some Netflix until she returned (2000).  After that, we watched a movie together until after 2200 - this has been one of our special activities over the years.  Brenna was tired when it finished but I still wanted some more steps for my pedometer.  So, during the next 30 minutes, I walked around in her parking lot until I reached my 10K step goal.  Sadly, I learned during this time that the Fighting Irish hadn't been able to make their comeback stick - they are now 0-1...  Back in the apartment, I said goodnight to Brenna (she was already in her room) and then read for a little longer (bed was at 2320).  Very glad I got to spend time with Brenna at her church today!

Nomad Life - Day 30

Even though I stayed up quite late last night, I was still wide awake by 0600 and spent the early morning getting organized (printer, etc.).  Brenna was awake by 0730 and we talked a bit before she asked if I wanted some breakfast.  By then, I was hungry (she wasn't) so made some pancakes - this didn't turn out very well (I wasn't used to her stove) and I filled the apartment with a bit of smoky smell.  Brenna opened all her windows and back door and it took a while to air everything out after that...  She claimed that she wasn't hungry before this but Brenna actually ate some of the pancakes so it didn't seem too bad by the end.  Starting at 0900, we both started getting ready for a day in Shenandoah National Park.  We were ready to leave by 1030 and, after driving east on US-33 to Skyline Drive, headed north, deeper into the park.  There was no line at the NPS checkpoint (nice) and very little traffic on the roads.  We got good views from several pull-out stops - and each commented on how much we really liked the park.  The curvy mountain roads - which I used to see almost every weekend - made the driving take much longer than I'd expected and it soon became clear that my estimate of 1300 for being in Woodstock (to meet Jesse) was not going to work.  And, when we parked at a trailhead (1145) on the east side of Big Meadows, I suggested that Brenna update him on our later arrival.  The weather was wonderful (60s on the ridge, sunny and lightly breezy.  At the place where we parked, there were very few people and we took a walk/hike along the Rapidan Road (gravel) to the Millprong Trail.  There were so many birds!  The meadow was also teaming with butterflies and bees - a perfect atmosphere for an outdoor excursion.  Brenna told me she'd been trying to log all her outdoor activity for the year and was happy to have someone to go with her.  We had a very enjoyable (2.5 mile) walk and talked a good bit during our hour in the pleasant weather.  Returning to the car, we continued north on Skyline Drive towards US-211.  There were many, many bikers riding in the same direction and this slowed our progress considerably - it was quite hard to pass them!  Finally, though, we reached Thornton Gap.  Heading west from that point, we passed through Luray and saw the Caverns, Jellystone Park and Cooters - this inspired a lot of good (funny) conversation.  For most of this period, we didn't have any cell signal so it was difficult to update Jesse on our ETA to Woodstock.  Fortunately, he was busy with some home improvement projects and wasn't too upset about the length of time it was taking us to meet.  At about 1415, we arrived in Woodstock and quickly located the Woodstock Brew House.  I'd asked my daughter and her boyfriend to go with me to this place because I'd heard about it from some work colleagues who know the owners.  We ended up getting a rather big lunch (buffalo mac and cheese for me and burgers for Brenna and Jesse) at 1230 and I had one their original beers.  We started inside the brewery, talking for several hours, and then moved outside for another beer and a pretzel (for Brenna and Jesse).  Once finished with our meal, we walked around in the historic district of Woodstock, looking at old buildings (they had three courthouses in town) and browsing in little shops (Brenna really liked their bookstore).  While discussing all of the options we had for activities nearby, the Shenandoah County Fair was mentioned (last day for that event), along with a hike to something called the Woodstock Tower.  This sounded interesting to me so, at 1700, we drove east towards the mountains.  Brenna's little car (a Honda Fit) navigated the narrow, paved roads pretty well at first - however, the road to the tower turned into a narrower and narrower, low quality gravel road.  About half way up the treacherous route, Brenna asked Jesse to drive us the rest of the way - fortunately, we made it!  There were a few places to park near the summit and the weather was wonderful.  We made our way from the car to the trail towards the tower and, about 10 minutes later, were climbing the steel stairs to the platform above.  From there, we could see a lot of the Shenandoah Valley, several good bends in the Shenandoah River, the Allegheny Mountains, the Massanutten and the Shenandoah National Park beyond.  Wow!  We spent a little time up there but then more people arrived and we vacated the platform.  Jesse showed us a launching area for hang-gliders (more great views) and then we headed downhill to where people involved with "The Ring 70" (ultra-marathon race) had set up a SAG station.  Jesse recently got interested in these kinds of races so we stayed to talk with the group for a little while.  Afterwards, we started downhill in Brenna's little car (Jesse at the wheel).  I'll admit that it felt good to reach the pavement again!  After returning to the Brew House (so Jesse could get his own car), we drove to a nearby gas station (Brenna was almost out of gas).  Following Jesse's classic (1974) Toyota FJ, we headed to Edinburg so we could visit his new house.  When we arrived, the tour began - it was amazing how nice the place was but also to see all the renovations he was doing to improve it further.  There were lots of amenities, a beautiful yard, gardens, multiple spots for cars, etc. - wonderful!  After I saw almost everything, Brenna suggested we walk to a nearby campground (located along Stoney Creek) and, with the nice weather (cooling into the mid 60s), this turned out to be a great idea.  After sitting in some comfortable chairs on a deck at the campground for a little while, we returned to Jesse's house so we could go out for some more food.  Because we were almost all full from our earlier meal, though, the "dinner" ended up being ice cream at the Edinburg Mini Golf and Ice Cream (2000).  The evening was wonderful for sitting outside and we had even more time for additional conversation - very nice!  Afterwards (2100), Brenna and I said goodbye to Jesse and we headed towards Harrisonburg (via US-11 and then I-81).  The traffic wasn't too bad and we made good time, arriving at Brenna's apartment by 2130.  Brenna told me she was tired so I said goodnight to her and spent time reading before heading to bed (2200).  What a great day in the Shenandoah Valley!

Nomad Life - Day 29

After another great sleep in the comfortable bed at the home of my friends (Steve and Kelly), I awoke to my final morning in New England - at least for the foreseeable future.  There were already two important goals that I needed to accomplish as soon as my feet hit the floor: (1) obtain my new laptop and make it functional for work and (2) drive from Connecticut to Virginia.  After doing some reading and games (including Duolingo), I got ready and packed up the car (with all but my work computer).  By 0615, I was teleworking.  Steve came by a bit later to say goodbye (he had to go to work in Hartford) and I thanked him for giving me a nice headquarters for a week of my Nomad Life.  By 0800, Kelly had also come by to ask if I wanted her to make me another Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese sandwich for my breakfast (how could I refuse?).  With my day already going well, I got in my car (0830) and headed towards the FedEx facility in Glastonbury.  The distance was only about 8 miles but there was back-to-school traffic, a major police activity (traffic stop with drugs?) and some lights to navigate.  I eventually managed to get on CT-2 and the rest of the trip went quickly.  As a result, I was one of the first customers of the day at FedEx (on Glastonbury Boulevard) when they opened (0900).  Fortunately, my laptop was quickly retrieved and I backtracked to Kelly and Steve's (arrived by 0915) to get set up for my provisioning meeting with the IT department.  This meeting took a lot longer than I'd hoped but, fortunately, I stayed on track for my planned noon departure.  During this time, Kelly left home (to do some errands) and graciously offered to have me stay with her family again - I hope that can happen again soon!  Wrapping up with my work day at 1215, I double checked that I had everything I'd brought to Connecticut and headed out of the neighborhood towards the west.  It seemed like a good idea for me to get gas before trying to pass through New York City so I located a nearby Irving station and made my way there (arrived at 1235) to fill up my tank.  During this time, it started to sprinkle - the clouds to the west also looked ominous and I wondered if my streak of good weather days was about to end...  When I tried to tell Google Maps my plans, I figured out that I had no cell signal - as a result, I ended up driving along the eastern side of the Connecticut River for a while.  Tryon Street ended up giving me pleasant views but I didn't get a signal again until I reached Old Maids Lane.  During my planning, I'd seen routes that followed I-84 and I-81 that might take about eight hours with light traffic conditions.  However, the fact that it was Labor Day Weekend was not helping with the time estimates.  Added to that, I had hoped to find a way to visit as many of the 50 states during my first Nomad Life year and wanted to make sure not to miss Delaware.  As a result, I chose a more southerly route and started with about an 8+45 duration (if only the traffic and weather would cooperate).  I should note that this itinerary seemed to indicate that I'd be at Brenna's just after 2100. at From this point, Google Maps took me to I-91 via CT-17, CT-17A and CT-66 (through Portland and across the River).  After less than a mile on the Interstate, I was able to access CT-15 (Wilbur Cross Parkway and, later, Merritt Parkway).  By this point, it was already 1330 and I began to worry about how far behind the Google estimate I'd finally get.  The ride on the Parkway itself went pretty easily (just a few short slow downs) but I drove through some nasty rainstorms (couldn't see anything at all at times) before coming out into the clear as I crossed the Housatonic River.  I was also able to use this time to make calls to my daughters, my friend Kim and Brother Jim - plans appear to be final for the coming week!  Traffic conditions and weather mostly cooperated as I shifted towards I-87 (just east of the Hudson) and I started to believe I'd be able to cross the George Washington Bridge without much delay.  Sadly, this didn't turn out to be true and I soon found myself in one of the worst traffic jams I've seen in years.  Between about 1445 and 1530, I probably only moved about a half mile on the entrance ramp for the bridge.  What a difference from my arrival by train a few days earlier!  On the plus side, there was time for audiobooks and watching the people selling fruit between the slowed cars.  Still, my time estimate for arrival continued to move ever later...  When I finally reached the New Jersey side of the Hudson, it was already much later than I'd hoped and I did everything I could to try to make up time.  The idea of going through Delaware started to look worse and worse - every route I tried (New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Turnpike, I-287, etc.) looked horrible.  Google Maps kept trying to take me west via I-80 and I finally gave up trying to fight it.  Unfortunately, this route ended up having annoying six minute slow downs at almost every major exit.  Not wanting to be trapped on the Interstate, I kept exiting the highway and using a combination of surface streets and US-46 to make my way west.  The arrival time for Brenna's house ticked up to about 2200 and I communicated this to my daughter during one of the slow downs.  Through a combination of Google Maps, instinct and continual determination to skirt the worst of the slow downs, I managed to reach the Delaware River at the town of Belvidere - I crossed a bridge on Water Street that I used to use during my AT trip days (no toll) and then took the Martins Creek Belvidere Highway to PA-611 (saw power plant with big cooling towers).  After Google Maps took me on a few more side streets, I intercepted US-22 and headed west towards Harrisburg.  From this point, I only encountered one more slow down for the rest of the day.  When I got on I-78, I calculated that I'd already spent almost six hours driving about 240 miles (40 mph average) - fortunately, I managed to cover almost the same distance during the next three (plus) hours.  Thank goodness for the 65+ speed limits for the last half of the drive!  Although I wasn't really able to enjoy it, the weather was wonderful again (mostly mid-70s and sunny).  Even better: the traffic was thin, especially after I passed the Susquehanna River.  I got an even better boost when I ended up getting passed by a PA State Trooper - once I settled in behind him (at a good distance), it was smooth sailing all the way to the Potomac River.  At times, I felt pretty good about this drive and remembered all the years of passing through the area for hiking trips and transits to see the kids.  Soon, I'll be traveling much different routes to reach the west coast!  I quickly transited Maryland and West Virginia and reached the Virginia border just before the sun completely set in the west.  The speeds beyond this point stayed high but I began to deal with the slow and unpredictable tractor trailer traffic (ugh...).  Still, I was very pleased when I arrived in Harrisonburg before the predicted arrival time - I was Brenna's apartment by 2150.  WHEW!  This was a painful drive (about 480 miles, 9.3 hours and no stops) but, with it in the rear view mirror, I can say I'm happy to be back in the Old Dominion.  Brenna and Jesse had gone on a hike with their Young Adult Group friends and were not at her apartment.  This gave me time to unpack and then, to my absolute surprise, start making significant progress towards my normal 10K step goal.  I was nearly finished with my walk at about 2300 when, suddenly, three big fire trucks arrived to investigate an activated sprinkler system in Brenna's neighborhood.  Fortunately, this wasn't connected with Brenna's building...  My daughter and her boyfriend arrived a short time later and, after realizing this was just an interesting diversion from normal tasks, moved on with their lives.  I briefly joined them in Brenna's apartment (to say hello) but then finished my walk outside (2345).  Settling on to the couch a bit later, I managed to also catch up on some reading and get my computers set up for the morning.  As a result of this kind of "extra admin", I didn't got to sleep until after 0030.  No worries on the lateness, though - my driving is done for a few days.  Glad I'm going to have quality time with my daughter!

Nomad Life - Day 28

For some reason, I woke up at 0400 and couldn't get back to sleep - I tried to pass the time with reading and puzzles.  Knowing my day was going to be a complicated mix of work and fun, I got on my computer by 0530.  An hour later, I took a break for a Physical Therapy virtual session with my PT, Baron.  Back at work again (0730), I made steady progress on my projects and, at 0815, I walked from the hotel to a nearby restaurant, Think Coffee (Devoe Street), because one of the desk clerks had recommended their breakfast burritos.  After getting one (0825), I headed back to my room to continue my telework day.  After finishing my breakfast, I can say that the burrito was, as advertised, quite good.  Like the other meals I've had in NYC, though, the food quantity versus the cost was kind of disappointing...  My work day paused just before noon as I had to pack up my bag and check out of the hotel (1200).  At the desk, I was relieved to learn that there were no additional charges beyond what I'd paid before arrival (reward night) - overall, I'd rate the Hotel Indigo Williamsburg very highly.  Next, I walked a short distance to Heidi's, although the large volume of traffic (coupled with long crosswalk delays) caused the less than 200 yard distance to take more than 15 minutes.  I managed to figure out Heidi's door buzzer system and was soon at her door - she was almost ready but I was able to meet her roommate ("Taz").  As a group, we talked about the things we might do while walking around in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  Departing from the apartment, we walked south on Marcy until we reached the MTA station for the J Line.  For the first time, I realized I could have been using my iPhone to pay for transits (via an MTA card) and that was much easier than charging my card the $2.90 fare.  We got on the next westbound train and I was pleased to see that it was elevated - this gave us some amazing views of the city as it crossed the East River on the Williamsburg Bridge.  We stayed on the train until it started a 90 degree turn towards the south and exited at Canal Street Station.  From there, Heidi used her phone to navigate us towards Chinatown, where I'd been told (by Chris C.'s daughter, Amanda) that we'd find "the best chicken in the world".  By 1300, we'd arrived at Pecking House in Chinatown and, after a bit of consultation about dietary restrictions and spice palates, ordered our lunch (chili tenders with ranch and chili chicken wontons).  The food was (again as advertised) quite good and we had a wonderful conversation during our meal.  By 1350, we were finished and started the next leg of our mission: to cross the East River on foot.  The route towards the southern end of Manhattan (near the Financial District, or "FiDi") was interesting and I saw lots of familiar sights (mostly from Television and Movies): the famous courthouse, the Freedom Tower, etc.  Once we started up the ramp for the Brooklyn Bridge (1410), the excitement (at least for me) was palpable.  There was definitely a sort of "crush of humanity" on the Manhattan side but, as we crossed, the crowds diminished - it seemed like maybe most people only walk about half way and then turn around.  Heidi and I continued east, though, and we were treated with amazing views.  My favorite part was seeing the Statue of Liberty but Heidi spotted the concert venue she'd be visiting in the evening - "Pier 17".  The weather was still quite amazing (70s, partly cloudy, light breeze) and I thoroughly enjoyed crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on foot - wow!  We reached the east side of the bridge by 1450 and started looking for a way to get to the park area that was located on the Brooklyn coastline below.  This wasn't easy but we were soon treated with some of the iconic views I've seen on TV/movies and asked Heidi to take some photos of me "pondering and contemplating."  With that "Jim task" completed (1510), we explored Brooklyn Bridge Park a bit more, finding the bathrooms and marveling at the huge number of restaurants, park benches and things to do.  We'd worked up a mini-appetite and I told Heidi it was a Coogan Tradition to not miss out on local ice cream.  She admitted she also enjoyed that kind of "exploring" - in agreement, therefore, we found a delectable snack at Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (1520) and got an ice cream sandwich (single scoop) for me and a double scoop waffle cone for Heidi.  It was perfect weather for ice cream and we enjoyed ourselves while sitting on a huge cleat (for ferry tie down) on the dock.  While watching boats coming and going, Heidi told me that we still had almost an hour of walking or taking the subway back to her place.  Since she was hoping to get started in her "going out preparations" at around 1600, this posed a small problem.  Fortunately, a solution soon appeared: we could take the East River Ferry!  Heidi told me she hadn't done that before but, as we got in line, her quick fingers downloaded the app and bought two tickets ($4.50 each).  Minutes later (1535), we started boarding the ferry.  Moments after that, we were motoring north towards her neighborhood.  I was surprised at the rough water, swells and rocking of the boat but they made excellent time to the first stop (South Williamsburg).  We had amazing views of almost the entire Manhattan Skyline and all the many familiar landmarks.  This ride capped off what had already been an awesome day and I admitted to Heidi that my first impression of NYC (formed in March 1988) had been wrong.  Maybe I needed several more decades of life to build a more positive impression.  This declaration made her quite happy, I think...  After exiting the Ferry at the North Williamsburg stop, we walked (10 minutes) back to Heidi's place on Marcy Avenue.  As our adventure was ending, I realized that I had been feeling a sort of euphoria and was constantly buoyed by Heidi's comments "that's the first time I've done that" as we progressed.  It was clear that she's still learning a lot about her new home but she was excited about showing me what she did know and sharing in some new experiences.  For my part, the day was a wonderful mix of the kind of exploring I normally do and a few savvy reactions on her part.  At 1630, I left Heidi's apartment (Marcy Street) and walked back to the Lorimer Street Station.  Boarding the L Train (using my phone to pay), I rode it to 14th Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan.  After walking through the tunnel, ended up getting on a "Bronx Local" (a 1/2/3 Line) train.  Apparently, I was very fortunate because they skipped many stops - one of them was Penn Station on 34th Street and, from there, I was able to make my way out of the subway and followed the signs towards the LIRR and Amtrak tracks.  Once I knew where the correct waiting area was, I bought a local beer (Strong Rope Pub Ale, Brooklyn) at Beer Table Penn Station (1715).  For the next hour, I relaxed in a quiet part of the station and watched young people practicing (cheer?) dances in front of big, reflecting windows.  As the departure time of my Northeast Regional (Amtrak) Train #148 approached, I made my way into the larger part of the Moynihan Trail Hall and tried to make sense of all the queues that had formed in the spacious building.  Since the track announcement was generally not made until about 10 minutes before boarding, everyone seemed to be guessing about where to stand and how pushy to be - I talked to one of the Amtrak staff and he laughed, saying "they must know something we don't."  In the end, my train was announced for Track 10 and, since no one was waiting at that queue when we started boarding (1835), I had a leisurely walk to the track.  I found the quiet car and settled in for my three (plus) hour ride out of the city - fortunately, I had plenty of room to set up my work computer (for a little more teleworking) and relax in the solitude.  We departed on time and, after crossing Manhattan and the East River (underground), we were leaving NYC behind us (1650).  Like I had during my inbound trip, I spent time watching birds along the shoreline (the train mainly hugged the coast of Long Island Sound) and spotted plenty of seabirds.  Otherwise, I focused on my computer.  At one point, I looked up and saw what appeared to be a reflection of our train on the window - but it turned out to be a local train that was matching our speed/direction!  It was very odd to be speeding down the tracks with people's traveling lives playing out only inches away; I found it interesting that no one in the other train even looked up to see me.  After about five minutes, the other train slowed for a local stop and we continued on toward New Haven.  Hearing that the dining car was going to close for the evening, I made by way there to pick up my dinner (snacks) at 2045.  A bit later, we stopped for our regularly scheduled engine swap (electric for diesel) in New Haven.  Throughout the journey, including this latter stop, we seemed to stay within about five minutes of the schedule - that was much better than the Vermonter has usually done.  Heading north, the quiet car became less so (rude, loud people) and the conductors stopped making the clear (and humorous) announcements to keep everyone in line.  I felt some relief, therefore, as we rolled into Hartford Union Station early (2145).  There was a bit of scrambling (to reach a car that was going to open the doors) but I managed to get onto the platform.  Kelly, who'd kindly offered to pick me up, was waiting and we were on our way back to Glastonbury (2155) - the drive didn't take too long and we were at her home by 2215.  We said goodnight (Steve was already in bed) and I quickly changed to go to bed myself.  Frankly, I was exhausted - for this reason, I skipped reading (but didn't forget Duolingo) and fell asleep before 2245.  What an amazing few days!  Not convinced I want to live in the Big Apple, but the city is definitely growing on me...

Nomad Life - Day 27

A few weeks ago, Heidi (Eileen's daughter) invited me to see her new apartment in NYC - this was a wonderful opportunity for me to get a bit more comfortable with the Big Apple so I made plans (mostly using reward points from Amtrak and IHG Hotels) to squeeze in an overnight visit in the middle of this week.  Last night, I made sure to pack as best I could (totally different clothes than what I'd need when the car was near).  As a result, I slept well and ended up needing my alarm clock (0600) to get my day started.  Before getting ready, I did some reading and Duolingo.  Once I was able to get out of bed, I hurried through my morning routine and even had time to log on to my work laptop for some early morning teleworking.  At about 0700, Kelly and Steve joined me in their kitchen and Kelly made me another Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese muffin for breakfast.  Mmmmm...  At about 0730, Kelly drove me (via some back roads and, eventually, I-84) to Union Station in downtown Hartford.  The drive went pretty well (I guess the city doesn't really have a big rush hour) and I was standing on the train platform by 0745.  Once onboard the Northeast Regional (Amtrak) Train #125, I settled into my seat on the "quiet car" and spent the next three (plus) hours teleworking.  Even though the conductors kept mentioning the sold out condition of the train, I ended up having plenty of room (no one ever sat next to me) for almost two hours of meetings online.  One thing that was really interesting about the trip was that it was much earlier in the day than the Vermonter comes through the Connecticut Valley and Connecticut Coast.  The New Haven engine swap (diesel for electric) went very smoothly and we stayed within +/- five minutes of the schedule.  As a result, we rolled into New York Penn Station right on time (1120) and I was soon moving up the levels of the Moynihan Train Hall.  Before this trip, I'd managed to find my Metro Card and, when I checked it at one of the kiosks, found that it still had money - this helped me to follow some Google Maps commuter directions without much delay.  I first got on the 1/2/3 Train, bound for Ferry Port, and took it to 14th Street.  At this stop, I got off the subway and walked (through an underground tunnel) to find the L Train.  As I approached that platform, I again (it had worked for my first subway stop) caught a passing train and rode it under the East River and into Brooklyn.  When I exited the Subway at Lorimer Street (Metropolitan Avenue), I realized that the lodging reservation I'd made was actually immediately above my head!  It was only about 1200 by this point and I doubted that the staff of the Hotel Indigo would allow me to check into a room so early.  However, I was completely wrong - not only did they get my checked in, they gave me a wonderful King Suite with a nice view from my window.  I quickly got back online and resumed my teleworking - until I realized I should get some food before my next series of meetings began.  Quickly checking with the clerks again, I got some recommendations for local food and practically ran across the street to find lunch.  Fortunately, the place I ultimately picked, Montesacro Pinseria, was not too busy and I was able to sit at the bar and order the lunch special: Arugula Salad, bread and Taglierini al Ragu di Agnello (pasta).  Watching the bartender, I thought it might be good to add a glass of the house wine - that turned out to be a good choice because it ended up being my favorite kind (from Sicily): Nero d'Avola!  Food and service were excellent and I managed to finish quickly and return to my room in time for my 1300 meeting!  For the next several hours, I worked from the hotel and charged myself up for some late afternoon fun.  At 1630, I wrapped up my telework day and headed downstairs to the lobby of the hotel.  Heidi arrived about five minutes later and we started a nice walk on the Brooklyn waterfront (along the East River).  It wasn't too many blocks from the Hotel Indigo to the water's edge but the coastline wasn't a continuous section of trails.  Instead, there were multiple opportunities to duck down to wharves and then duck out again.  From the Williamsburg section of town, we walked north to Greenpoint over the next hour or more.  The weather was awesome (light breeze, still 70s) and lots of people were out with their dogs.  From a few locations, we got great views of the Manhattan Skyline and bridges to/from that borough.  Heidi told me about her life in Brooklyn, her time with friends and her "shiny new" job that was supposed to start on the following Monday.  I was very happy to learn all of this information and it validated many decisions she'd made during the previous two years.  Everything would have been completely perfect, except for for a series of phone calls I began to receive about my replacement laptop (for work).  Instead of delivering it to the address I'd provided, FedEx decided that there had been some sort of mistake and tracked down a different Jim Coogan in the town of Glastonbury.  When that poor fellow expressed confusion ("I'm not expecting a laptop"), the phone tag began.  It was difficult to conduct the conversations about the whole situation without the tracking number or other details and I started to lose hope that I'd get my shipment before I moved on from NYC and Connecticut.  With help from our IT department, though, the matter got (mostly) cleared up by the time Heidi and I finished our stroll.  By that point (1800), we were getting a bit hungry and started trying to decide what to get for dinner.  I spotted a little pub called the Kent Ale House and, since Heidi was agreeable, we sat outside the restaurant for our meal.  I had a great view of the city (with the sun shining brightly behind Heidi) and the food (BBQ pork sliders, salad, turkey club sandwich and sweet potato fries) we shared was excellent.  I also sampled a pint of their house Pilsner (good).  While we were eating and having a great conversation, the sun dipped below the horizon and the temps dropped into the high 50s.  Fortunately, I'd brought a fleece pullover and that came in handy for the rest of our walk back towards Heidi's apartment.  Along the way, we found some interesting buildings (including an Orthodox Church).  The city by night seemed quite pleasant, with lots of people playing sports in a nearby park, strolling casually along the sidewalks and enjoying quiet meals in quaint establishments.  With all these visual cues, it was clear to me why Heidi had wanted so much to move to NYC and to choose Brooklyn as her new home.  The highlight of the whole evening turned out to be when I visited her apartment - it was the perfect size for living, was well decorated and felt very much like a home.  By this point (2030), it was getting late for both of us - so, we walked back towards the Hotel Indigo (stopping to look at a few more points of interest) and then said good night (2100).  Back in my room again, I wrapped up a small work task and then settled in for some light reading and Duolingo.  I hadn't meant to stay up past 2200 but didn't actually turn off the light until about 45 minutes later.  As I drifted off to sleep in my King Suite, it was hard not to be thinking "life is good!"

Nomad Life - Day 26

The house seemed a bit cool when I went to sleep last night but the heat must have come on during the night - I was feeling very comfortable until I woke up at 0600.  Wanting to maximize my opportunities for staying away from using PTO, I began teleworking by 0630.  About 30 minutes later, I got to chat with Steve before he left for work.  Meanwhile, the weather outside was excellent again (70s, sunny, light breeze).  Kelly had mentioned that she usually walked for about an hour near her house and I asked if I could go with her - our 2.5+ hike included passing through the woods from her neighborhood to Buckingham Park.  There were plenty of birds and lots of interesting things to see - after yesterday's "step count fail", it was good to log such a nice bit of exercise before the work day really got going...  Back at the house, Kelly made me something for breakfast that she called a "North Jersey Delicacy": a Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese sandwich.  It was good!  Once I finished that (0830), though, it was almost non-stop teleworking for the rest of the day.  I did manage to do some laundry and get a short break (between meetings) for lunch (leftovers from Frank Pepe's) but, otherwise, it was a hectic and busy day.  There was a nice feeling of accomplishment, though, and it felt good to close the computer.  Even though I'd been working all day, there were several point where I went to the bathroom or got some water or a snack - in every case, I found everything to be very organized and orderly.  The wall decorations, family photos and ambiance that must result (how would I even know?) from living in the same house for 20 years were so homey and loving and practically perfect.  It seemed like such an idyllic place to live.  At 1630, I plunked down in a comfortable chair (in Kelly & Steve's wonderful den) and relaxed for about an hour.  Steve got home just before 1700 and we visited for a little while before Steve & Kelly's son, Patrick, arrived (1745).  It may have been sort of a surprise that his wife (also named Kelly) and newborn baby (Sophie) also were able to visit for dinner but it was clear that this was a special kind of treat.  Kelly made another delicious meal (steak tacos and a sort of roasted potato casserole) and the "Family Dinner" atmosphere was quite enjoyable.  Before I arrived, I had no idea that I'd get to meet any of my friend's kids but this was the third of three) and now I was getting spend time around one of their grandkids!  Patrick turned out to be a civil engineer who was working on an extensive bridge project on I-95 and we (along with Steve, actually) geeked out on the technical details of the project and others that he had already done in he career.  We also talked about Cape Cod (where the younger Kelly's family vacations), Notre Dame Football and family stories.  Overall, it was another wonderful dinner and, just when I thought the party was ending, we adjourned to the den for some more visiting and TV (live quarterfinals of "America's Got Talent").  Brownies with ice cream were again offered (and, of course, I accepted).  At some point, Patrick offered me a chance to hold Sophie - she had been eating but, apparently never likes to sleep during the day.  It may just be a fluke but she was soon snoozing away in my arms.  I'll also admit that it had just gotten dark (2030) but Patrick and Kelly seemed relieved that their daughter was resting - they didn't attempt get up from their own chairs...  In fact, it wasn't until almost 2130 that anyone made a move towards the door - by then, my arms had almost fallen asleep.  Still, it was wonderful to have such a great opportunity to hold a sleeping baby (I later shared photos with my daughters).  Once the fun part of the evening was over, I suddenly realized how tired I was and that I still needed to finish getting myself ready for the following day.  After saying goodnight, I went upstairs and repacked my suitcase and laptop bag, did a bit of walking outside, cleaned up stuff in the car and then (with no time really remaining) read one of my books.  Before I knew it, the clock said 2330!  Heading off to bed, I began psyching myself up for the next phase of my Nomad Life: NYC!

Nomad Life - Day 25

All things considered (Bradley Airport airplane traffic, hotel, HVAC noises), I slept pretty well until about 0430.  Unfortunately, my neighbor (a younger lady) started having a loud conversation on the phone at that point and I kept getting startled awake by angry shouts.  This ultimately continued until about 0700 - before then, though, I'd given up on sleeping and started my day.  In addition to telework, I also did some reading and printing of various documents I've been storing for over a week.  Most of the time, though, was dominated by a call I had to make with the IT Service Desk - after an hour of troubleshooting, they determined that my laptop needed to be replaced and we spent time trying to coordinate an overnight delivery plan.  As a result of this major disruption to my normal routine, I decided to skip breakfast (the hotel didn't provide one) and continued teleworking all the way up to the latest possible check out time (1100) and then I loaded up my car for another move.  The day was unusually overcast, with occasional rain drops, but the temps were still pleasant (70s).  Departing the Motel 6 Windsor Locks, I drove (via I-91, US-5 and a series of back roads) across the eastern suburbs of Hartford until I reached the town of Manchester.  My reason for heading in that direction was that a college friend, Kelly S., had agreed to meet with me for lunch at a restaurant called Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (she called it "a famous New Haven and Connecticut Pizza place").   I arrived there at 1130 and, when I went inside, we had a nice reunion.  It's possibly been almost 30 years since the last time we got together (we met during our Freshman Year at Notre Dame and only saw each other once after graduation) but it seemed like only yesterday.  The menu was almost entirely pizza so it made the choice of lunch fare quite easy.  We chose a sort of meat lovers pizza - medium size - and, when it arrived, it was clear that Pepe's meant business!  The pie was huge and there was sooo much meat on it.  Needless to say, we never got anywhere near finishing it...  By 1300, we'd eaten our fill and Kelly suggested I follow her towards her home in nearby Glastonbury - somehow, I kept up with her as we drove along busy local highways (including I-384) and back roads.  Arriving at her beautiful house (well established residential area with lots of trees and big yards) by 1330, she helped me resume my teleworking.  For the next few hours, I caught up on projects and she checked in on me from time to time.  By 1600, I was finished with my work day and closed up my computers.  From there, we toured her home (decorated so amazingly!), visited in her spacious "den" and, later, sat outside on her comfortable patio.  Mollie called during this window and I spoke with her briefly.  However, Kelly's husband, Steve, soon arrived, followed by their two daughters (Megan and Maura), and I asked Mollie if we could talk later.  For the rest of the evening, we told stories of our Notre Dame days (I also knew Steve when we attended) and shared lots of family news.  Along the way, Kelly made a delicious dinner of smashed chicken Caesar tacos, Spanish rice and brownies a la mode.  They had Long Trail beer too - I enjoyed trying a new flavor.  I learned a lot about Kelly and Steve's interesting daughters and their (absent) twin sons (Ryan and Patrick) - the biggest news (along with work stories) was the arrival of two new grandchildren (Sophie and Emma).  All was very well with my college friends and it felt good to be surrounded by such love, comfort, stability and warmth.  On this latter point, I was a bit startled by how cool the evening air got after the sun was gone (2030) and wondered where one of my long-sleeved shirts was.  Before long, though, our little party was scattering and all the windows were closed.  Steve and I looked over some old yearbooks from our ND days and we talked about a lot of mutual friends we'd seen during the intervening years - oh, the stories we had to share!  At some point, I realized it was after 2200 and that I was feeling quite tired.  My friends took me to one of their children's old bedrooms and I settled in comfortably for the evening.  It was only at that point that I realized I hadn't even got close to my normal (10K) step goal - this might be the least amount of walking I've done in many months.  Oh well...  Everything felt so warm and cozy by then and I had no trouble falling off to sleep (2245).  What a wonderful day!

Nomad Life - Day 24

This morning, I was awake at about 0530 and, thinking Elizabeth was still asleep (very quiet downstairs), spent time reading and doing Duolingo/puzzles.  At about 0730, I came down and found her reading - we then resumed our interesting conversation from the night before.  Ivy had been quiet for my entire visit but I noticed that she was very friendly if I gave her attention.  Elizabeth and I ate breakfast (cereal) and continued our discussion until about 1030, when she departed or Mass.  After that, I spent a little time getting clean - the shower was broken so I used an interesting cleaning pad, from Israel, that seemed to work well.  Once my car was packed (1100), I departed Danby and headed south on US-7.  The weather was much better than had been forecasted (clear, 70s) but there were ominous clouds on the horizon (mostly behind me).  At Manchester, I exited on to VT-11/30 and followed that road almost all the way to Bromley Mountain, where VT-30 split off to the south.  I took that road and made my way through scenic mountain passes and pretty valleys.  For most of this phase of my drive, I was constantly reminded of the local author, Archer Mayor, whose books about the detective (Joe Gunther) are mostly all set along this road.  Passing through Newfane (1200), I sent a photo of the town square to my friend, Ed, but then continued on to the junction with US-5.  Normally, I've bypassed Brattleboro itself (to get on I-91) but I drove into the center this time.  Wow - what a maze of one way streets, strange intersections with poorly timed light changes, pedestrians without fear and indecisive drivers.  In the end, I was glad to reach the Connecticut River bridge (Brattleboro Road) and cross into New Hampshire...  I followed NH-116 towards the town of Hinsdale and tried to locate a trailhead for the Ashuelot Rail Trail.  Google Maps put me on NH-63 on the edge of town and that took me where I wanted to go.  When I did find the parking lot I'd been seeking (1235), I realized I'd actually located TWO rail trails that were on the New Hampshire Rail Trails Challenge - the other one was called the Fort Hill Rail Trail.  Instead of following my initial plan, I began exploring the Fort Hill option because it followed the edge of the Connecticut River.  Because of a forecast of potential rain, I brought an umbrella.  For about 45 minutes, I enjoyed the leisurely stroll on a grassy surface - trees surrounded the path and I got lots of nice views of the Connecticut.  Another highlight was the high bridge that crossed the Ashuelot River.  It was very quiet and I only saw a few other people (all bikers).  From the plentiful "No Trespassing" signs, it was clear that the local residents didn't want anyone on the property that skirted the trail boundary - I initially thought I'd be backtracking to my car.  But a new plan had begin percolating in my mind: what if I could get off this trail, walk through town and access the Ashuelot Rail Trail?  When I reached the trail crossing over River Road (1315), I saw my chance and clambered down a steep embankment (there was an actual trail with a sign that pointed towards Hinsdale) to the gravel track.  I deduced that I'd walked about 1.6 miles of the Fort Hill Trail by that point.  Not long afterwards, I made it to pavement again and ended up arriving in town right near the NH-63 junction with NH-119.  Seeing signs for "the oldest continuously operated Post Office in the USA", I walked up the main street until I located the old building.  Before turning south on Depot Street, I noticed a diner across the street - by then, I was feeling hungry and decided to check out my food options (1340).  Inside "Bacon Me Crazy", I found what appeared to be a "shrine" to all things bacon.  With 20 minutes before they closed, I decided I needed to investigate!  I sat at the counter and talked with the staff until I'd decided on my lunch (bacon cheeseburger) - when it arrived, I scarfed it down happily.  The establishment was supposed to close at 1400 but several other folks arrived after I did and I started to feel bad for the employees.  As a result, I finished my food and prepared to leave just after the posted hours.  The staff (and the son of one of the servers) actually engaged me in more conversation, though, and I didn't end up walking outside again until about 20 minutes later (1425).  Friendly people!  Crossing the street, I realized how warm it had gotten (low 80s) and that made my climb up the steep hill of Depot Street a bit harder.  Still, I had a full belly and kept going without complaint.  Reaching the junction (located right next to the old depot) of the Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail, I had to get my bearings - there weren't a lot of signs at all.  Two bikers came along from the north and pointed me in the direction of the southbound direction and, after that, I was OK.  For the next 45 minutes, I walked briskly on the high train grade - Hinsdale and the river were at least 100 feet below.  The trees were great for shade but I still got a bit sweaty and drank a good bit of my water.  By 1515, I was at my car again and felt good about the 2.5 miles of Ashuelot Rail Trail I'd completed.  Overall, I walked 5.3 total miles (counting the roads) in roughly two hours.  In my car again, I resumed my drive on NH-63 until I entered Massachusetts (only about 6 miles away), when the route changed to MA-63 and I saw signs for my entry into the Pioneer Valley.  In the town of Northfield, I turned towards the west (MA-10) and soon was able to get on I-91 and head south.  I briefly thought about stopping for some ice cream from the Friendly's in Greenfield (a place I've frequented over the years) but was shocked to see it had been converted to a Starbucks.  Sadly, that's yet another franchise gone - hope at least a few will remain in the end...  Continuing south, I had to re-learn my "city driving" as the other cars around me were rapidly switching lanes, tailgating and doing other aggressive things.  Fortunately, I didn't have any delays during my drive and crossed into Connecticut by about 1600.  During this time, I stopped to search for a nearby Mass for late Sunday - a rare thing, certainly, but I'd seen them before.  Unfortunately, all the nearby Parishes had completed their liturgical schedule for the weekend by the time I had an opportunity to try to attend.  Oh well - the streak of Sundays has ended...  Returning to the task of trying to reach the Motel 6 in Windsor Locks, I followed a rather scenic route (that Google Maps suggested to that location) and made my way to the Bradley International Airport.  By 1630, I was at the check-in counter and hoped to be in my room shortly.  Unfortunately, the desk clerk had to take me through an elaborate series of tasks, each completely out of the ordinary, and I was a bit annoyed by the time he gave me a key.  This annoyance increased when I reached my room and found a puddle of water in the middle of the floor.  After returning to the office for a room swap, I eventually (1700) was able to move in properly and try to set up my "office" for the next day.  Most everything is getting rather routine but my government laptop decided that today was the day to stop working.  The problem connected with the power switch, which I later learned was a typical weak point for Dell Latitudes.  After exhausting my own skills, along with a few tricks I found on technical blogs, I ended up having to call the IT Help Desk.  Fortunately, they work 24/7 so I was able to get help and, eventually, order a brand new computer.  The trick now, though, will be to have it delivered to me while I'm on the move.  Oh well - that's a problem for another day!  Even though it was dinner time by this point (1815), I didn't feel like leaving my room.  Instead, I got a shower and then started catching up on my blogging, reading and eBird reports.  During this window, I communicated with Brenna, Kelly S., Elizabeth and Eileen - making plans and thanking friends for letting me stay with them.  By 2200, I felt sufficiently ready to try to go to sleep.  However, the noise of departing jets from Bradley didn't make that easy and I needed another 20 minutes to get settled and start to doze.  Nomad Life has been going well so far - only a few hiccups but each has had a relatively painless workaround.  Hopefully, the good vibes will continued!

Nomad Life - Day 23

This morning, I woke up at a more normal time for me (0600).  During the night, I'd heard movement in the house and thought that Eileen might have had another EMT call - she explained later that she'd stayed home all evening but had been taking care of something during the night.  Since Eileen was about to depart for a paddling weekend, there wasn't much time for visiting, relaxing or dog walking.  Instead, she motored around her house, collecting items for her trip, coordinating with paddling friends and making sure her home was clean.  I was able to assist with the latter task but mostly tried to stay out of her way.  We did have a few moments for breakfast (fruit) and pleasant recapping of our few days together, fortunately...  By 0800, her paddling partner (Will) had arrived to pick her up for a drive to Cranberry Lake - I said my goodbyes and then went back inside the house to finish packing and do some blogging.  I also let my daughters know about my upcoming Nomad Life plans and made arrangements with Elizabeth to see her later in the day.  After my car was packed (1000), I departed Potsdam - it was a bittersweet moment because I wasn't sure when I'd next be able to return.  My initial route consisted of NY-72, NY-11B and NY-458 - on this latter road, I found the cheapest gas prices in the entire area at the Gulf Station in St. Regis Falls (1045).  Continuing from there, I got on NY-30 and, by 1130, was in the town of Paul Smiths and parking on the campus of the eponymous college.  My goal for being there was to locate part of the Jackrabbit Trail (which I've skied on a few different occasions) - specifically, the point where it crossed through the area south and east of the Paul Smith's Visitor Information Center (VIC).  To find this elusive trail, I ended up using a cross country ski map sign (one clue) and a website with some other road names and landmarks (many more clues).  Armed with this information, I moved my car down to the State Boat Launch on Osgood Pond (accessed via White Pine Road).  Once there, I was able to confirm that I was in the correct place by asking some locals - they pointed me back down the blacktop (from the parking area) towards the trail crossing.  I walked to the place they indicated and, by 1145, was hiking in the woods.  I initially made my way towards the north and west, intending to link up with the VIC's cross country ski trails, and this took me past the Church Pond Lean-To and a disk golf course.  Through this section, I enjoyed lower temps (70s) and sunny or overcast skies.  There were a lot of birds in the area and I enjoyed listening to one lonely-sounding loon who was out in Church Pond.  Before long (1210), I was able to cross NY-30 and connect the section.  Backtracking towards my car, I crossed White Pine Road and continued towards the east and south.  Up to that point, the trail had been well marked and I thought I'd end being able to follow it easily.  This didn't turn out to be the case and I soon found myself in a "no man's land" between White Pine Road and CR-31 - there wasn't a single blaze or sign anywhere nearby.  At one point, I thought about turning around but then I remembered the AT hiking strategy I'd used to ensure I'd know where I left off my last hike and started looking for a firm landmark.  I found one, CR-31 itself (a bit west of Jones Pond), by 1255 and was back at my car by just over 20 minutes later.  I should note that the last part of the hike was on an access road that returned me to the State Boat Launch.  Altogether, I hiked 4.8 miles (2 new miles of the Jackrabbit Trail) in 1.8 hours.  Back in my Subaru, I resumed my drive towards my next overnight destination: Danby, VT.  Along the way, I listened to audiobooks and ate a light lunch (chips).  The next phase of the route included NY-86, Old Military Road and NY-73 - the latter highway took me through the Adirondacks and the Keene Valley before I reached the Northway (I-87).  Most of this trip was slow going, either because of the many turns, climbs and cautious drivers, but I also had to contend with a charity bike race for a lot of the drive.  Once on the Interstate, though, I made great time to US-9 (exited near the town of Underwood), which allowed me to resume my quest to locate all of the sections of the North Country Trail (NCT).  While following the highway towards Schroon Lake, I completely lost cell signal (it had been intermittent before that) and had to rely on visual cues and common sense to find the first checkpoint I knew was in the area: the Route 9 Dirgylot Hill Wilderness Area parking lot.  That was accomplished by 1440 and, after noting the little NCT sticker on the sign (the only indication I was even close to the correct place), I headed south on US-9 again.  Passing through Schroon Lake, I turned east on to Alder Meadow Road and followed it to the end.  I'd hoped to go farther but the road conditions (and some signs) told me that people were supposed to stop - the "parking lot" had minimal clues and maps but I deduced that I was close to Crane Pond and that the NCT followed an old forest road beyond this (to the east and north).  Backtracking to US-9, I drove north until I could get on NY-74 and followed that road east to Paradox, where I hoped to close the loop on another section I'd missed during my visit in May.  Once on Letsonville Road (north side of NY-74), I had a big choice to make: trust Google Maps or the NCT Maps page.  I opted for the latter and turned (tentatively) on to Fleming Pond Road (gravel).  At that point, with no cell signal and no indication on Google Maps of there being an actual, drivable road, I was trusting my logic of being able to connect to the same road on the opposite side of Flemings Pond [sic].  Thus began one of the longest gravel road drives since I'd first tried something similar in September 2019.  During the whole ordeal, I kept telling myself that I could turn around any time it didn't look safe.  But I kept passing fish camps and small cabins - some with people in the yards - and never ended up backtracking.  At one point, though, I encountered a partially fallen tree that looked like it was too low for my car to clear with its rooftop carrier.  I gingerly made an attempt and was successful - this saved a LONG detour (whew!).  While weaving in and out of small ponds (which I rarely saw because of the trees and lack of Google Maps clues), the road eventually seemed to improve and it became clear that I was actually on the (aptly named) Stoney Lonesome Road that I knew would connect me with Corduroy Road and NY-74 again.  Fortunately, all of my assumptions and efforts proved worthwhile and I was able to navigate (still without cell service) all the way to Ticonderoga.  Success: I got 5.5 miles for the first segment of NCT and 8 miles for the second; all that's left between the Long Trail junction with the NCT and I-87 are some shorter hiking sections!  Thankfully, I had cell service by the time (1350) I rolled into town (near the Super 8 I'd stayed in earlier in the week).  Since I wanted to make sure that I was able to pick up dinner before arriving at my cousin's, Elizabeth's, house in Danby so made the choice to follow the Google Maps recommended route: NY-22 to Whitehall and US-4 to Rutland.  In the first segment, I found that I was also following the Empire State Trail (24 new miles) and enjoyed the open sky views of the southernmost part of Lake Champlain.  After Whitehall (1635), I ordered dinner (turkey and cheddar sandwich, chicken bacon ranch sandwich, Caesar salad and brownie) from Panera (1635) and then made excellent time (speed limit time = 65 mph) to Rutland.  Even better, I went inside the Panera, grabbed the prepared food and was back on US-7 (headed south) in less than five minutes.  As a result, I reached Elizabeth's house in Danby almost exactly at the time I'd told her (1715) and, relieved, settled into a table in her kitchen to eat our evening meal.  For many years, Elizabeth generously allowed me to use her Vermont vacation home as a headquarters for my AT hikes - after I moved to New Hampshire, I didn't use it as much but made day trips to visit Elizabeth several times.  However, neither of us had been there since 2023 and it felt good to be back.  We were joined by Elizabeth's dog, Ivy, and we had a great time eating, talking and relaxing.  Before long, I looked at my watch and noticed that it was already almost 2230!  We were both tired and, after I figured out the lights and plumbing again, I was able to get in my bed just after 2300.  I didn't fall asleep immediately, though, because I wanted to finish some reading, Duolingo and puzzles.  Finally dozed off by 2330.  What a day!

Nomad Life - Day 22

My sleep was interrupted when Eileen got an EMT call during the night - I didn't realize she'd left, initially, but later noticed lights on outside my room.  I tried to go back to sleep but then she returned (0400) and I heard her moving around upstairs.  Even though she was able to get back to sleep, I never really could.  As a result, my day began just after that - I tried to read to get sleepy (unsuccessful) and then did some puzzles and games to pass the time before I started working (0600).  Eileen ended up sleeping until almost 0730 and we ate breakfast (fruit) before heading to Lehman Park for a walk with Mika (0800).  The weather was marvelous again (high 60s, sunny, no wind). Unlike other times I've visited this place, we were there only for a short time because Eileen still needed to get ready before departing for work.  In this phase, I moved the wet laundry out on to her deck and clothesline and tried to position everything under the warming/drying sun.  After Eileen left, I teleworked through the rest of the morning and then ate lunch (leftover Indian food).  I also checked on the laundry (it dried quickly) and ensured (like I had the day before) that the curtains, windows and doors were closed as the sun angle led to the potential for increased interior heat.  It felt a bit strange (but good), after a few weeks on the road under by belt, to be focused on domestic tasks during my work day.  Eileen had suggested we meet to do some blueberry picking at a farm in Pierrepont and planned to text/call when she was ready to leave her office so I could meet her there.  At about 1315, she alerted me that she was ready and I departed Potsdam.  Unfortunately, in my haste to get there on time, I forgot to bring her blueberry picking equipment...  My drive was about 12 miles and took about 15 minutes but I did locate the farm at the end of a gravel road.  Eileen arrived about five minutes later and I explained my mistake - in the end, we made do with bowls and other plastic containers (and bags) that I had in my car for the Nomad Life.  When we walked to the blueberry picking area, we met up with Mike, the caretaker of the land, who told us where to get the best berries.  I think he was also checking on the people accessing the blueberry patch, since this was a "by-invitation only" farm. For the next two hours, we picked 4.5 quarts of berries and had some good conversations.  Meanwhile, Mika sat patiently outside the gate (no dogs allowed).  By this point, the sun had warmed everything up tremendously (my car's temperature gauge showed 82 F) but there was shade under and near the bushes.  It was an unexpected, special event, much like many other things I've done with Eileen over the years.  Afterwards, Eileen paid (honor system for measurement and amount) and we drove back towards her house.  I passed Mike, who was walking along the road, and he asked how we'd fared - when I told him, he seemed pleased we'd been so successful this late in the season.  He asked why I was in the North Country (because of my New Hampshire license plate) and, when I told him about the Nomad Life, he suggested that I had an open invitation to return for blueberries the next time I was in the area.  What a nice offer!  Back at Eileen's house (1545), I resumed teleworking and waited until she was ready to make plans for the dinner we hoped to cook together.  Before we could get going with that project, though, we first had to stow the canoe (which Eileen had put in her garage while she was at work) in the storage shed.  This wasn't nearly as difficult as getting it out of the shed had been but still required a lot of finesse and care.  With that task completed, we next got an invitation to meet Eileen's friend (Sharon) for an early dog walk in Lehman Park (arrived there at 1615).  Actually, this didn't end up being a walk because Eileen met many other friends and I spent the time playing with Mika, watching birds in the middle of the Raquette River and skipping rocks.  Before long, Eileen asked that we return to her house so she could make a lasagna she needed to bring with her to Saranac Lake the following day.  Eileen went into the kitchen and I closed out my telework week. Realizing that Eileen had gotten very engrossed with her project (and a phone call), I decided to go outside to enjoy her fire pit patio.  I read there for a while and, since it didn't appear that the situation inside had changed, went walking around her extensive property.  The sun was starting to set by then so the temps weren't too bad, although I did work up a sweat while logging the rest of my 10K steps.  Eileen came looking for me at one point and seemed confused about why I wasn't inside the house (or kitchen) while she was working.  For my part, I was confused about why she was wondering where I was.  So, when I came back inside, we ended up in an intense conversation.  Sadly, all thoughts of making dinner together went out the window and Eileen instead started a major peach canning project after the two lasagnas were in the oven.  Eventually (1930), she asked if I could get some food and wine for us and I departed on that errand.  I stopped first at Potsdam Little Italy (for some big pizza slices) and then walked across the street to Royal Liquors to get the wine.  Finished with these errands, I arrived back at Eileen's at 2000.  We then had a nice talk and dinner, accompanied by the wine, while I assisted her with the canning.  It had probably been about 40 years since I observed or participated in something like that but my mom loved the canning process.  At various times throughout the evening, I kept thinking that Eileen would wrap things up and go to bed - we were both exhausted due to lack of sleep.  Instead, though, we stayed up as late as we had during the visit.  It seemed like we both knew that my Nomad Life was going to limit face-to-face interactions for an indefinite period and were hoping to prolong our connections.  Whatever the reason, though, I was very ready for bed by the time I went downstairs (1130) and it didn't take long for me to fall asleep.  Very happy I got to see Eileen during my Nomad Life and I hope it isn't too long before we can get together again.

Nomad Life - Day 21

In a more familiar sleeping place than a strange hotel, I slept much better.  Awake by about 0530, I started teleworking soon after I was out of bed.  Eileen slept longer than I (or she) expected but this gave me time to get more work done.  Eventually, she and Mika appeared on/near her "comfy" chair and I joined them for some crossword puzzles and a light breakfast (fruit and toast).  Returning to my work computer again, I logged time until 0800, when Eileen suggested we take Mika for a walk at nearby Lehman Park.  I happily accepted and we were soon romping in the grass with Eileen's border collie, who loves chasing balls.  Unfortunately, Mika had a cut on her foot pad and this slowed her down considerably.  Still, the weather was wonderful (sunny, 50s and no wind) and we walked for about 30 minutes (just over a mile) while deep in conversation.  Returning to Eileen's house, I returned to my job (I had a 0900 meeting) and Eileen headed to work.  For the rest of the day (with only a short break for a snack/lunch), I was deep in meetings and taking care of various projects.  Before I knew it (1530), Eileen was texting that she was on her way home.  Wrapping up most of my work, I was ready to go out for a walk when she arrived (1545) and suggested I could car shuttle her for her daily run.  This made her happy and we drove south to Colton - I dropped her off on the north end of the Stone Valley Trail complex (that follows both sides of the Raquette River).  After that, I drove south to the main trailhead and started a hike towards the north (on the east side of the complex).  The weather was still magnificent (60s) and I really enjoyed seeing the rocky falls, rapids and deep gorge areas of the trail - bonus: it was well marked.  About halfway into my walk, Eileen called with news that we had an opportunity to join the SLVP for a "recreational evening paddle". I made sure to confirm that there was no competition involved (because I knew that would be a different kind of event) and she told me that it was just supposed to be a fun outing.  The kicker, though, was that we'd have to really hurry to be able to join them when it started at a nearby reservoir at 1800.  About 10 minutes later, Eileen and Mika appeared (walking) from the north and I reversed direction on my hike so we could return to my car.  By 1650, we were back on the road and drove to Eileen's house to begin the complicated process of trying to load a (little-used) canoe on the top of Eileen's car.  We went through several points in this activity when I was genuinely worried I'd be the cause of some kind of major damage to the beautiful boat.  She keeps it in her storage shed and we had to perform delicate maneuvers (to not scratch the sides) and then walk the boat around the house to the car.  When we tried to lift the canoe on top, it was clear that a "guide bar" that Eileen uses for other boats was in the way.  This led to another series of "oops" and "wait-wait-wait" (more avoiding scratches).  At times, I felt like maybe all the stress wasn't worth the effort, especially since it felt like Eileen was doing this only for me, and I wondered what would happen next.  I should have known; with a combination of Eileenish determination, some foam rubber bumpers, tie downs and crossing fingers, we secured the canoe for transport.  It then took another five minutes for both of us to stow all our gear, grab a change of clothes, make a dinner reservation and finally get driving.  As a result, we were already late when we started south for the Colton area (1745).  The next problem that arose was that we lost cell signal after driving through that town - Eileen got worried then because she'd never paddled the Rainbow Falls Reservoir and was unfamiliar with the road we were following.  Fortunately, Google Maps was accurate from when we'd departed and we managed to arrive at the boat launch (just above the dam in the Raquette River) by 1805 (five minutes after everyone else).  Fortunately, they'd waited for us (and continued waiting for us to unload).  We met up with all the SLVP group members who'd been assembled on short notice and were informed this was going to be a "photo-ex" (for some kind of local tourism advertising).  Launching at 1815, we (Mika, Eileen and I) headed east along the shore and were photographed and videoed by a man in a motorboat, along with his drone.  One thing (among many, it turned out) that I had to get used to was the strange-shaped paddles we ere using: each one was shaped like an open "L" and required one to know which angle belonged in front and which one belonged in back (of course, I got it wrong).  Before long, though, I started to get the hang of the canoe and paddle - the only thing I never completely adjusted to was that Mika kept standing up and walking around...  Eileen had asked me to keep track of the time so we wouldn't miss our dinner reservation and I dutifully reported our status as we proceeded - with everyone else - to the designated group rendezvous.  Three were all kinds of boats: canoes and kayaks of various types, a SUP and a guide-boat.  Generally, everyone stayed together but then there were problems assembling near the large island where the main event was supposed to take place.  As a result, we were still far across the lake (probably 1.5 miles from the car) at 1900.  Eileen assured me that we were fine and I waited as patiently as I could until we had the green light to go back.  This initiated what I later described as a "Ben Hur chariot race" of speed to get back to the landing - Eileen told me, though, that she never broke a sweat... From my point of view, though, we were racing across the water and, since we'd done minimal coordination, were not staying on course or coordinating strokes.  Throughout, it was clearly revealed who was the Queen of the Water and (who was just a lackey to the Queen) but I did have one thing going for me: I could see where we were heading.  Sadly, this seemingly valuable thing turned sour when I was unable to explain or describe the exact location to Eileen.  A lot of this paddle reminded me of the old adage about how a relationship that can survive a boat launch can survive anything.  We did reach the shore by 1915 (it took us three times as long to paddle outbound) and, after more struggling with canoe bulk, worrying about paint and tie downs, we got on the road.  By then, it was already time for our reservation at Jake's on the Water and we had no cell signal to use the Google Maps or make a phone call.  Eileen drove, dodging deer and dog-walkers in the road, while I waited for a chance to update our reservation.  In the end, we were seated at a beautiful table on the dock of the restaurant (located in a little bay in Hannawa Falls) just after 1945.  With a bit of the race-around stress of the day over, we were able to relax with some drinks, rolls with maple butter, an appetizer (Nonni's Meatballs) and delicious entrees (Tempeh Buddha Bowl for me and Baby Back Ribs for Eileen).  We chatted about our fun-filled day, enjoyed the ambiance and pleasant weather and watched the remnants of the sunset.  Eventually, the mosquitos became a problem and I asked if we could move inside - the staff was very accommodating.  We soon realized we were the last people inside the building (2115) and, almost embarrassedly, excused ourselves.  Heading for home, Eileen gave Mika some well-deserved leftovers.  When we arrived (2130), we only had the energy to unload the canoe (not stow it), start a load of laundry and stumble on to the couch to rest/relax before bed time.  And this came quickly after for Eileen, although I stayed up later to watch some videos and do one more check on work emails.  By 2230, I was in bed and realized I still hadn't done my Duolingo for the evening or read an excerpt of a library book that was due in a few days.  This added 35 more minutes to my day and I didn't turn off my light until 2305.  Whew - what an amazing day in the North Country!

Nomad Life - Day 20

Started teleworking early again this morning (0600), with short breaks to load up my car and get breakfast in the hotel lobby (had to make two trips down there because their "to go" options were depleted when I first arrived).  For the first time in several days, it was rainy and cool - fortunately, the forecast said it would get nicer later.  I'd tried to get a late check-out from the Super 8 but the best they could do was 1200 (or pay $25 extra if I wanted to stay longer than that) - oh well.  As a result of this, I found myself finishing work meetings in the front seat of my Subaru.  With those completed (1230), I departed Ticonderoga and drove north/west on back roads (through the towns of Moriah and Underwood) until I reached US-9/NY-73.  Google Maps showed that I could cut off some distance by staying on this road but I didn't follow the directions correctly - instead, I ended up on I-87, which took me a bit farther out of the way - when I reached Elizabethtown, I used NY-9D to intercept NY-73 again.  In the end, I figured out this was my normal route through the Adirondacks and so it felt comfortable.  Because I had another work meeting scheduled in the mid-afternoon, I was trying to reach Lake Placid and find a business where I could access their WiFi.  This idea came to fruition as I passed the Big Slide Brewery and Public House (1400) and went inside - they told me I could set up in a quiet area on their outdoor patio (which had good WiFi and an outlet for my laptop).  Everyone there was very nice!  I ordered a late lunch (white bean soup and a BLT) and conducted my meeting (1430).  Afterwards, I tried some of the Big Slide's beer (good) before departing.  It took a little bit of time to get through the Lake Placid traffic but I was able to reach Saranac Lake (via NY-86) by 1600.  I found a gas station (Stewart's) and added fuel to my tank (gas prices are much higher than I've been seeing for weeks).  From there, I continued on my way to Potsdam (more NY-86, NY-30, NY-458, NY-11B and NY-72).  Along the way, I listened to audiobooks and enjoyed the Adirondack greenery.  It seems like I'm usually only in this area during the winter so it felt strange to see the differences.  I made it to Eileen's home by 1715 and got setup inside.  I did a bit more teleworking (until 1800) and repacked my car again.  Eileen had told me she was participating in one of the Saint Lawrence Valley Paddlers Wednesday Night Duathlons so I drove to Canton so I could watch that event.  I arrived a short time after they'd started the first running portion (1835) but did get to see Eileen (and her partner, Will) as they transitioned to the paddling portion (it took place in the Little River from the Park Street Boat Launch).  As usual, she was so focused on her race that she didn't see me.  While she was gone, however, I listened to the other spectators talking about her and cheered for other competitors.  When Eileen and Will returned to the landing, I tried to follow the racing part but didn't know exactly where to watch.  Fortunately, I managed to get to the finish line in time to see her and Mika cross.  During this time, several people talked to me and tried to figure out what brought me to the event.  I'm used to this by now (it was a small town, after all) and it was fun to see some other folks I've met at previous paddling races I've attended as a fan of Eileen.  By this point, it was about 1930 and I thought it might be time for us to depart for dinner.  However, the SLVP folks first wanted to celebrate the 2025 Summer Season (this was their last event) and a member's birthday.  There was some delicious ice cream, with homemade chocolate syrup from Mary K.'s farm - it was delicious!  Eileen couldn't leave yet, though, because she had to sign autographs inside the front cover of a book that was just published about her NWP adventure.  She was still talking with her friends at 2015 and I started to wonder if any restaurants in Potsdam would still be open by the time we wanted to get dinner.  Adding credence to that thought, Eileen asked if I could take her to retrieve her car from Will's house and give her time to change clothing before we left for dinner.  I did as she asked and we eventually (2040) were ready to depart her home and find a place to eat.  We first tried Maxfield's (their website said dinner/bar went until 2 AM) but they said the kitchen had closed.  Down the street, we tried the Royal India Grill and found that they were about to close too - fortunately, their manager felt pity for us and allowed us to sit down.  We immediately ordered and it was fun to try several of their exotic menu items: garlic naan bread, vegetable pakora (appetizer), Chilly Paneer (me) and Lamb Korma (Eileen).  We were able to eat at our table and talk until nearly 2130 but, as the restaurant employees turned off the Bollywood video and music, it was clear that we needed too go boxes.  Feeling thankful for the opportunity to eat such a nice meal, we profusely thanked the people at the restaurant before getting in the car to return to Eileen's house.  For the rest of the evening, we played with Mika, fixed some broken closet doors, talked and enjoyed each other's company.  Before long, I realized it was 2245 and, because Eileen was already nodding off, suggested it was time to head to bed.  Unlike on most other nights on this Nomad Life adventure, I didn't stay up late beyond getting ready.  As a result, I was in bed (with lights out) at 2300.  Looking forward to a few days with Eileen!

Nomad Life - Day 19

For some reason, I didn't sleep well - it might have been a combination of noise in the hallway (my room at the Super 8 is right next to the stairs) or the unfamiliar location.  Hoping it's the former because the latter scenario will be going on for many months ahead...  In any case, I was awake by 0530 and started teleworking early.  Breakfast was similar to the previous day (pastries and yogurt in the hotel lobby) so that didn't distract me for long (0745).  Meetings lasted until after noon and resumed again at 1300 - I barely had time to run across the hotel parking lot to the nearby McDonalds to pick something (burgers) up for lunch (1215).  After that, I worked right on through until 1400.  With the weather looking nice (70s, partly cloudy, no wind), I decided to take a break to visit one of the main attractions in the area: Fort Ticonderoga.  I believe it's been 49 years since I was last inside this colonial fortress but, like last time, the Country is celebrating a milestone birthday during the coming year (250 vs. 200 years).  Ticonderoga itself just celebrated the capture of the fort by Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys (and Benedict Arnold) - the signs for this event were everywhere.  Arriving at the front gate by 1415, I bought a ticket (10% off for veterans) that included the fort and nearby Mount Defiance.  Hoping to visit both places before they closed, I quickly parked and walked around in the old building.  The views of Lake Champlain were wonderful and there were lots of colonial reenactors walking the grounds - I particularly enjoyed the fifes and drums.  There were also some good tour guides who were speaking very loudly as I passed - the cadence of some of the narrative sounded quite familiar, perhaps from hearing something similar when I was young or because of books I've read recently.  The park is managed by a private foundation and I believe they were doing a great job of restoration, teaching and other amenities for people love American History.  The birds were out in force, with sea birds, woodpeckers, wrens, robins and many other birds flying freely in every part of the park.  Before leaving, I toured the King's Gardens, found a marker (deep in the woods) that commemorated Henry Knox's feat of transporting captured cannons (during the winter of 1775-1776) and walked on the Carillon Battlefield Trail.  Because time was short, I didn't finish the latter walk, choosing instead to return to my car and tour some of the 1758 landmarks by car (that was possible because the road to the exit passed by most of them).  By 1545, I was on the road again so I could make it to the entrance to the Mount Defiance access road before it closed at 1630.  Fortunately, it wasn't a long drive and I inserted my golden coin (given to me by the staff at Fort Ticonderoga) in the toll-booth slot to gain entrance by 1600.  The road actually went all the way to the top of the mountain and was VERY steep (and narrow).  When I got to the summit (located about 800 feet above the surface of Lake Champlain), I was stunned by the amazing vistas to the east.  The entire line of Green Mountains was visible from (at least) Camel's Hump to (I'd guess) the faraway border of Massachusetts!  I couldn't see quite as far north as Crown Point but Lake Champlain was visible almost all the way to it's southern end (near Whitehall).  Sadly, there were very few views to the west - I would have loved to see Lake George from the top of the mountain but couldn't.  After about 20 minutes, I departed for town and made my way back to the area near Bicentennial Park.  It occurred to me that I should check out the Star Trek (TOS) Set Tour and see if I could visit the recreation of the Desilu Studios set from the 1960s.  When I arrived, the told me I'd just missed a tour and would have to wait until 1700 for another one.  That seemed too long and I checked out the schedule for tours the following day.  Satisfied that I wasn't going to take the tour today, I went across the street to have a beer at Madden's Pub.  After I sat down, they told me it was Taco Tuesday - the prices looked good so I ordered some.  When they arrived, I was blown away by the amount of food!  The three tacos were loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and beef - it was delicious.  I had a beer too.  I finished everything at about 1650 and realized I might be able to catch the last Star Trek Set Tour - my last minute change of mind paid off and I was in the group when we entered the lovingly recreated Transporter Room of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) at 1700.  What an amazing place and tour!  So many details were wonderfully presented - original items from the series, autographs and commemorative photos, lights and colors from the show.  Wow - just wow!  We got to stand on the transporter for photos and I also got my picture taken in Captain Kirk's chair.  This was an unexpected gem of a tour and I left feeling like I'd actually been part of the filming.  Definitely a five star experience for the town of Ticonderoga!  It was 1805 when we finished and I had enough time to get the rest of my 10K steps before heading to my final stop in a fun-filled day: the last installment of the 2025 Ticonderoga Festival Guild Summer Concert Series, featuring the band "Those Guys Entertainment" (Top-40, Funk, Classic Blues).  This concert was being hosted at the Knights of Columbus Council I'd joined the previous night and I got to see several of my new friends - they were glad to see me and serve (for a fee) some local brews.  While I was enjoying my first drink, Eileen called to firm up our plans for the next few days - that call lasted until the concert began at 1900.  The band's leader explained that they'd been on tour for several months and he was losing his voice.  This allowed a local girl to stand in for him a few songs into the performance and she got rave reviews from her fellow residents.  I stayed until around 1945 and then headed back to the Super 8.  I'd mostly finished my telework day before I'd departed this afternoon but I logged an additional hour to wrap up loose ends before the morning.  Beyond that, I did some reading and blogging before bed time (2300).  This was a great day, all around, and I am ready to move my Nomad Life HQ to the next place!

Nomad Life - Day 18

Even though I slept well, I didn't get all the time in bed I'd hoped for; I was wide awake by 0530 and figured I'd get an early start on my telework day.  At about 0700, I went down to the lobby of my Super 8 hotel and found mini-donuts, small muffins and some yogurt.  After scarfing down my "breakfast", I drove to the nearby Walmart to redeem deposits on some bottle.  Unfortunately, the store was open but the bottle machines weren't ("come back at 8 o'clock").  While there, I noticed a sign in front of the building that warned people about the high winds ("please return cards to the store") - I found it interesting that there must be enough of the conditions I saw yesterday to warrant a formal sign for high winds... This morning, however, was mostly breeze free (temps in the 60s) and the sun was shining.  Returning to my hotel, I grabbed a few more yogurts and then resumed teleworking for another hour.  I repeated this entire exercise at about 0815 and, this time, I was successful in my mission.  Using deposit redemption slips I'd gotten from this visit (and another four previous ones), I bought myself some sparking water (apple flavored).  This was actually the first pure grocery shopping trip (where I spent money) of my Nomad Life so far - I'll need to start doing this more...  I worked from my hotel room for the next several hours (meetings until almost noon) and then the day started to wind down in intensity.  By 1545, I decided I'd worked long enough and departed the hotel.  A few days ago, I realized that Ticonderoga seems to shut down all the attractions (and a lot of the businesses) on Mondays.  Sadly, today was no exception.  Hoping to make some lemonade from the metaphorical lemons I'd been dealt, I located a pathway called the LaChute River Walk Trail (arrived at 1615).  For the next 45 minutes, I explored most of the pathway that paralleled the little river.  Actually, I should be fair and note that this waterway included some serious rapids and small waterfalls - it definitely did not appear to be navigable (later, I learned that this river is the outflow for Lake George and flows into Lake Champlain next to Fort Ticonderoga).  It was very clear that the residents of Ticonderoga have a lot of civic pride because I saw a series of interesting signs, displays, monuments and banners.  Reaching Bicentennial Park, I checked out yet more landmarks, including signs for the Empire State Trail.  Having seen this trail in several other places during my travel, I became intrigued about where it might lead.  Sadly, I determined that it was mostly followed road surfaces in this area.  After passing the so-called "kissing bridge" in the park, I decided to check out the town's Main Street, which included a lot of closed businesses, a Star Trek (The Original Series) television set recreation and, to my great surprise, a Knights of Columbus Council Hall (Council 333).  With the latter location, I was even more surprised that it was actually open (they were having a blood drive) - even more shocking, they were planning to have a Council Meeting later in the day!  Filled with anticipation of my first opportunity to join my Brother Knights at a formal event, I walked back to my car and went in search of food.  The only place that appeared to be opened was just across the LaChute River so I drove a short distance to reach the Paper & Pencil (1705).  It a nice sized restaurant with an interesting menu and I tried to order beer to start - unfortunately, they told me they'd sold out.  Continuing my daily attempts to hydrate enough, I settled for some water.  My dinner, though, consisted of a delicious turkey sandwich (the meat was lightly grilled) on a toasted ciabatta bun and a side salad.  Afterwards, I decided I should try a dessert and was impressed by their New Orleans style bread pudding (I believe it lived up to its name).  The staff seemed to be quite overwhelmed (I learned that it was their version of Friday, since the restaurant was closed the following day) and I tried my best to be patient and pleasant.  It seemed to work, since they asked me to come back again when they opened on Wednesday at 1500.  Sadly, I plan to be gone by then...  Since it was already 1835 by that point, I repositioned my car near the KofC Council Hall and went inside a bit early.  There were some friendly folks in there (especially Ed, Bob, Peter and Dave) and they definitely made me feel welcome as an honored guest from another council.  I should note that my home council only has one meeting a month but this one has two - the one I was attending was called a social meeting, which was very informal.  There was still some business involved, though; when the meeting began (1900), the main topic of the evening was the fate of their historic (1921) three-story hall.  I learned they'd been working on a plan to renovate and expand the usage of the building to accommodate even more activities for other groups in the town.  The whole conversation was very interesting and I hope their efforts will bear fruit.  Afterwards, I got to hang out socializing with my new Brother Knight friends - they all seemed very interested in me and how our council did things.  Before I left, one of them showed me the wonderful outdoor (covered) performance venue that has been the site of a weekly concert series.  I was earnestly invited to attend the last such event of the summer on the following evening (hoping I can attend).  Leaving the "downtown" area (2045), I drove back to my hotel and immediately walked over to the nearby Walmart to get the rest of my daily 10K steps (I only had a few left to get and reached the milestone in the parking lot).  In my room again (2115), I read and blogged until it was time for bed (2230).  It was another interesting day but I am really looking forward to the attractions and businesses being open tomorrow!

Nomad Life - Day 17

I slept OK in the "Shack Hilton" - the temps dropped into the high 50s overnight but I had plenty of cover.  The only real distraction overnight, especially when I first started trying to sleep, was the loud trucks that drove by on the newly paved road.  Fortunately, it got quiet after midnight and I made it all the way to 0600 without needing to leave my bed.  With WiFi working great in the morning, I did my usual reading, Duolingo and games and also took care of some additional travel planning.  By 0700, I was packed up and almost ready to go - the accommodations didn't have a shower so my normal routine was slightly disrupted.  Peter (the proprietor) came out of his house (across the street) in his bare feet to bid me farewell and we ended up talking for a while again.  He insisted I take some snacks and water for the road and I took him up on that offer.  The birds were quite boisterous and the air was quite pleasant (60s).  By 0740, I was in my car and on my way west.  I ate breakfast (donut from Shaw's that I'd gotten for free the previous day) and listened to audiobooks as I made my way back into Bridgton and got on US-302.  From there, I continued towards New Hampshire and enjoyed all the interesting scenery (lakes and hills) all the way to the border.  After Fryeburg, Google Maps took me around the messy traffic of North Conway and I was soon motoring south on NH-113.  The only delays along the way were from (literal) Sunday drivers, who didn't seem to be in a hurry going anywhere and stopped suddenly for turns at gas stations and donut shops.  I'll admit that my frustration level rose dramatically as I followed them - every time I shed a slow driver, I picked up another one soon afterwards...  Eventually, I was on NH-25 and used that to cross the Lakes Region and reach the town of Center Harbor.  I then cut west (NH-25B) to US-3, which took me along the shores of Squam Lake - pretty!  I used NH-175 to get to I-93 and then was only on the Interstate for one exit (just over a mile of four lane highway).  After this point, the directions were very familiar: NH-25 to NH-118 to US-4.  It had actually been a while since I'd taken this route and it was good to see different landmarks I used to pass all the time.  Departing New England will be a major change in my life...  My reason for heading in this direction was serendipitous - my hotel for the coming night was in Ticonderoga, NY and Google Maps took me right through Lebanon.  This allowed me a chance to stop at my storage unit for some long-awaited (and much needed) gear swap-out.  Arriving at the storage facility just after 1000, I figured I'd only be there for an hour or so.  Instead, I spent nearly THREE HOURS there, packing and repacking, clambering over boxes to reach essential items, etc.  The temps rose into the high 80s during this time (ugh...) and I eventually had to change my shirt to avoid feeling like I'd taken a shower in my clothes.  I ate lunch (snacks) while working and eventually got to a good equilibrium.  Fingers crossed, this will be my last visit to the storage unit in 2025! During this time, I tried to hydrate but it seemed like a losing battle...  Just after 1300, I closed up the car and got back on the road (I-89), headed for Vermont.  I managed to reach Mollie on the phone during this rare moment of cell service but was unable to get in touch with Erin or Brenna.  Continuing on the Interstate until the Bethel exit, I started to learn the new handling characteristics of Nessie, who now had a completely filled roof-top-carrier and lots of other stuff in the back.  At one point, I started to wonder if the brakes were going to be a problem in the Green Mountains... [Note - they worked just fine but I had to plan a bit further ahead to avoid mashing on them at the last second.]  My route through Vermont was mostly familiar, which Camp Brook Road, Bethel Mountain Road and VT-100 appearing as usual.  At the latter road, though, I went south for about a mile before getting on VT-73, which I used to cross Brandon Gap and reach my target: Mount Independence State Park.  I arrived there at 1445 and, after learning that the entrance fee for the trail system was waived for disabled veterans, geared up for a hike to the historic ruins.  This spot, along with Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Defiance, featured in my reasons for driving to the extreme southern end of Lake Champlain - it was great to be able to start my visit with some outdoor activity.  As I was getting ready to go, though, I was startled by the change in the weather - it had been clear and hot all the way across the state but, as I reached the eastern edge of the lake, the wind kicked up tremendously and I heard distant rumblings of thunder.  Also, the temperature had dropped over 20 degrees (into the high 60s).  Determined to see as much as I could before being prevented by the elements, I headed north into the woods (1500).  The trail system was quite well marked, with lots of interpretive kiosks and signs.  I could see Mount Defiance and Fort Ticonderoga at times and was impressed by the whitecaps on Lake Champlain.  There were ruins and lots of history to learn and I was surrounded by birds as I walked - but absolutely no people (I guess that's understandable).  I'd been warned that it might take two hours to travel through the whole system but I only ended up needing 90 minutes to finish the four miles.  Fortunately, the weather stayed like it was at the beginning and I only ever felt some raindrops at the very end.  Before departing, I checked out the Visitor Center exhibits (nice) and then drove back towards VT-73 and later got on VT-74.  With the winds still very strong, it was amazing to watch hundreds of soaring birds (including some big raptors) in the nearby farm fields.  My mission was to get on the Ticonderoga Ferry, which was advertised as being open until 1800 - since it was only 1645 when I was going to arrive, I thought I was all set.  Previously, my experience with the Lake Champlain Ferry system is that it is always running, even in weather that seems "unsafe" to the casual observer (see DEC 2023).  When I arrived at THIS ferry, though, there was no activity on either side of the lake (maybe three hundred yards across?) and the whole place seemed to be closed.  But there was no sign of the status!  Recalling that the ferry had a Facebook page, I went online to see if there were any notices posted there - sure enough, the owner had secured the ferry for the day about an hour before I arrived.  Oh well.  Unfortunately, now I was faced with 35 miles to drive only about 8 as the crow flies...  To add insult to injury, it started raining - the drive was not going to be easy.  I took my time, since predicted arrival at my hotel (Super 8 Ticonderoga) was still going to be before 1800 (my planned arrival time).  After a short drive to the north on back roads, I found myself on VT-125, which I've used many times before to cross the Lake at Crown Point.  Once in New York, I followed Lake Drive to NY-9D and made my way south again.  When I got into town, I was relieved to see all the businesses close to the hotel I'd chosen - after about 15 minutes of check-in and unloading of my car, I was comfortably settled in my room.  I was tempted to go out again - for dinner or a drink - but, feeling like I needed an evening to rest and relax, I made food in my room (single serve meals from the Shack Hilton stash).  Actually, this was the first time I'd had a chance to use a microwave on the trip - I've got lots of plans for that in my Nomad Life future but I hadn't had luck up to this point.  For the next few hours, I read, blogged and got organized for my upcoming work week.  I managed to stay awake until about 2245 and then fell asleep.  New adventures tomorrow!